


and I'll protect you, for life

by exolliarmus



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2017-09-14
Packaged: 2018-12-29 19:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12091806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exolliarmus/pseuds/exolliarmus
Summary: Chanyeol is an Auror sent by the ministry to protect Kyungsoo, a member of the England World Cup Quidditch team, after he starts receiving threats against his life





	and I'll protect you, for life

**Author's Note:**

> Title: and I'll protect you, for life  
> Pairing: chansoo  
> Summary: Chanyeol is an Auror sent by the ministry to protect Kyungsoo, a member of the England World Cup Quidditch team, after he starts receiving threats against his life  
> Rating: pg (hints of violence, some swearing)  
> Word Count: 13,832  
> Author's Note: I'm sorry if this didn't match with what you imagined for your prompt, but I hope you like it regardless! Also thanks to my beta for holding my hand through all of this and the much needed edits!

By the end of practice, all Kyungsoo can really think about is his bed. It had gone on seventeen hours this time - and no fault of his own, really - Baekhyun’s game hadn’t been as good as usual, so of course that meant the whole team needed to be punished with him. But naturally, of course, the only one in the team left with any energy is Baekhyun himself, and he about knocks Kyungsoo over with a clap to his shoulder on the way to the dressing room. 

Kyungsoo only glares at his friend before stepping up to his station, readier than ever to get out of his practice clothes and into his muggle wear. He's expecting the note that zooms out of his locker and hits him in the nose once he opens the door to it, so he's unfazed as it flutters to the to the floor. The old parchment looks like it's stained with blood this time, which makes Kyungsoo snort. This one is new. 

He's bending down to pick it up when Baekhyun beats him to it, grabbing it from the ground and ripping it up into shreds and tossing it into the nearby wastepaper basket before Kyungsoo even has a second to react. 

"You don't need to look at that." He says, pinching Kyungsoo's side and then nodding in the direction of the head coach's office. "Minseok wants to talk to you." 

Kyungsoo swats Baekhyun's hand away with a hiss of breath and then nods, slipping into the office without so much as a knock. Minseok looks up at him with a pleasant smile as he enters, gesturing to the seat opposite his. Kyungsoo sits down hesitantly, hands folding in his lap. He knows what's coming – another long talk about the threats – but to be honest, he really doesn't want to think about them anymore. All he wants to do is go home to his muscle relaxing bubble bath and his bed. 

"Hey, Kyungsoo." Minseok is the one that breaks the ice, leaning forward in his seat and resting his chin on the palm of his hand. Kyungsoo doesn't respond, focused more on the way the little numbered dots are whizzing around the hand-drawn quidditch field on the blackboard behind Minseok's desk. "This is probably getting annoying, huh?" 

Kyungsoo presses his lips into a thin line and finally looks up to meet the gaze of his head coach. "Yeah," he replies simply. "But I know you have to do it." He adds, when Minseok's expression falls to a frown. 

"I won't keep you long this time." Minseok promises, offering a gentle, and comforting smile. "I had a meeting with the directors while you guys were doing your practice match. They're... quite concerned about the threats." 

"They don't need to be, I can handle it." Kyungsoo cuts in, but Minseok raises a hand to silence him. 

"They're understandably worried, Kyungsoo. The World Cup qualifier matches are in a few weeks, and they don't want to take any chances, especially if we win." 

"I don't know what they expect me to do. You've asked all the questions already. I don't know who could be doing this." 

"I know." Minseok exhales a heavy breath, rubbing the side of his face. "I know, Kyungsoo. But they're not listening. They're sending an Auror from the Ministry to shadow you for a while in case the threats have substance. You're our best beater, Kyungsoo. We can't afford to have anything happen to you before the World Cup." 

"No... absolutely not." Kyungsoo shakes his head, eyes wide in horror. He'd much rather this person threatening him finds him and ends his life than spend the next unforeseen amount of time being shadowed by a bloody bodyguard, and he doesn't need to voice this for Minseok to understand how he feels about it. "Just... no." 

"Unfortunately," Minseok stands, gesturing towards the door. Kyungsoo understands the dismissal right away. "You don't have a choice in this matter. So go home, get a good sleep. I'll see you bright and early at practice tomorrow, okay?" 

-

"It can't be that bad," is the first thing Baekhyun says when Kyungsoo emerges from Minseok's office, facial features arranged into a scowl. It only deepens in response to his best friend's words, and Kyungsoo storms by him and back to his station to change. 

"It's awful," he says, and the fact that he spends a solid thirty seconds struggling to pull his shirt over his head intensifies his bad mood even further. "They want me to have a bodyguard. Don't – don't laugh..." He says weakly, when Baekhyun starts snickering into his hand, leaning against the locker next to Kyungsoo's. "An Auror from the ministry, no less." 

"They're being safe! There isn't anyone who can smack balls around quite like you, Kyungsoo." 

"Shut up," Kyungsoo warns, and it only makes Baekhyun laugh harder. The idea of all this is so embarrassing, Kyungsoo thinks. He's already teased enough about his smaller stature being a little unusual for a beater, and he can only imagine the terror he'll have to face at the hands of his teammates once a bodyguard starts following him around. 

Once he's finally dressed, he picks his broom up out of his locker and heads towards the door. Baekhyun's holding his own as he follows, and Kyungsoo doesn't voice it but he's so grateful to have the seeker as a friend. He's always been too scared to apparate, so the flight home is inevitable for him, but Baekhyun doesn't really need to sacrifice precious sleeping time to join him. He does anyway, most nights, and Kyungsoo feels like he owes him the world, simply for the company on the long flight back to the dorms. 

"Race you?" Baekhyun grins once they're out in the open air, the disillusionment charms sending shivers right to the tips of their toes. Kyungsoo licks his lips and then nods, though under the charm it can't be seen, and he kicks off from the ground, chasing the little glimmer (which to an untrained eye would just look like a trick of the light) all the way to the clouds. 

-

When Minseok had said "bright and early" before, he'd meant it. They're called to the field at 7am the next morning, and the team is nothing but a mess of yawns and dramatic eyebags as they all pile into the stadium, squinting up at the sun like it's the most offensive thing they've ever seen. Baekhyun's half asleep on Kyungsoo's shoulder once they're sitting in the grass to listen to Minseok's pep talk, which always lasts a little too long for the players to stay focused, especially on such early mornings. 

The warm up is fifty laps of the pitch, and it actually does do wonders in waking Kyungsoo up, at least. He weaves in and out of the other players, basking in the feeling of the cool wind whipping through his hair. Once he's done his laps, he lands smoothly on the grass in the middle of the field, then plops down on top of it. Tossing his broom aside, he lays back and spreads out his limbs to relax while he waits for the other team members to finish up. 

"Who is that?" The next person to join him is Seulgi, one of the chasers (and the only other Korean on the team aside from Baekhyun and Kyungsoo). He sits up to squint in the direction she's pointing in, and he sees Minseok sitting on the edge of the bleachers, next to a tall and rather intimidating looking wizard in long black robes, who Kyungsoo has never seen before. When Minseok catches him looking, he tries to wave him over, but Kyungsoo sighs and switches his focus back to Seulgi. 

"No one important." He answers her, stretching out on the grass again. 

"It's about the death threats, right?" She asks, kicking out her legs and resting them over Kyungsoo's calves. Kyungsoo pats her knee and then shrugs, scooting over to make room as Baekhyun barrels to the ground, toppling off his broom to join them in the pile they've made on the grass, head on Kyungsoo's stomach. 

"Who's the hot guy? Is that your bodyguard?" He asks, and Kyungsoo pinches his cheek in punishment, which elicits a groan in response. 

"Yes, but don't look at him! Maybe if we pretend he's not here, he'll go away." 

He knows how futile this is as soon as Minseok and the Auror start making their way to the center of the field. He sits up again, holding his hands behind his head and keeping his eyes trained stubbornly on Minseok's face. 

"Kyungsoo," Minseok says sternly, holding out a hand to help him up off the ground. Kyungsoo knows avoiding it won't do him any favours, so he stands, brushing the stray blades of grass off his training pants. "Kyungsoo, meet Mr. Chanyeol Park. This is who I told you about last night." 

"He's Korean?" Kyungsoo cocks an eyebrow, still not looking in the bodyguard's – well, Chanyeol's – direction . "My babysitter, right?" 

Minseok inhales a sharp breath and then clears his throat. "Behave, Kyungsoo. Yes, he's Korean, and he's here to do his job, so you're not going to make it difficult on him, right?" 

"I didn't realize they allowed overgrown children to work for the ministry," he says, finally turning to look at Chanyeol, who despite his height, doesn't seem nearly as intimidating up close. His eyes are wide, probably in surprise at Kyungsoo's statement, eyebrows disappearing into the mess that is his wavy, dyed brown hair. He has his hands tucked into the pockets of his slacks, pushing the robes out of the way and putting his slim stature on display with a white button down shirt and a sleek black tie, which causes Kyungsoo's lips to curl up in the corners. He looks more like a bowtruckle than a bodyguard. 

"I didn't realize they allowed – actual children on World Cup Quidditch teams," Chanyeol's response is smooth, and his voice is deep and thick, his lips twitching up to mirror Kyungsoo's smirk. Kyungsoo is a little taken aback, and he shoots a glare back at Seulgi and Baekhyun, who are hiding their quiet laughter behind their hands. 

"I look my age, thanks," he huffs, and Chanyeol shrugs, his smile settling into something pleasant – but Kyungsoo feels like he's being mocked. He backs away and sits down with his friends again, hugging his knees to his chest and trying his hardest not to let his annoyance show on his face. 

Practice picks up again soon after that, Minseok directing the players to split off into two separate teams to start up a match. Kyungsoo's doing his absolute best to stay focused, but it's hard to when he can feel Chanyeol's presence, heavy from his spot in the stands. He doesn't sit down for the entirety of the day, and his eyes never leave Kyungsoo's form. It's creepy, Kyungsoo's thinks, and all he wants is for whoever is threatening him to be caught as soon as possible so his life can go back to normal again. 

-

Kyungsoo's schedule is quite packed over the next few days – not with practice (he only has those for a few hours each evening), but with interviews and meetings with various media outlets to talk about the World Cup. Chanyeol is with him every step of the way, waiting for him outside the dorm in the mornings and always staying exactly two paces behind him throughout the day. He hovers in every room like a bad smell, this daunting, distracting presence that Kyungsoo wishes he had the power to ignore like everyone else can. 

He hasn't said a word since their first meeting, and his face is always set to a stony, tight-lipped expression that gives away absolutely nothing about how he's feeling. He's almost like one of those muggle guards with tall fluffy hats that hang around places like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, the ones that Kyungsoo used to try and tease as a kid when his parents would take him on sightseeing trips. 

"So, Mr. Do." He's in a meeting with the editor of the Daily Prophet now, and the old wizard already doesn't look too impressed that Kyungsoo seems so distracted. Kyungsoo nods to show he's listening, but his gaze keeps flicking back to Chanyeol, who's standing by the door with his hands behind his back, staring out the window on the opposite wall. "You've become quite a hero for young wizards since your promotion to the starting lineup of the national team. How does that make you feel?"

"Um," Kyungsoo clears his throat, shifting in his seat. "Pretty good." 

Eloquent. Kyungsoo winces, rubbing the back of his neck. The old wizard sighs, tapping the end of his quill impatiently against the mahogany tabletop. 

"Well... I read in your mini biography that you struggled making friends your first few years at Hogwarts. Was it Quidditch that helped you overcome that?" 

Ah. Kyungsoo lets himself relax, then. He's been asked this one enough that his response has long since been thought out, so he starts speaking with confidence. "Yeah! To be honest, I'm really bad with spells to this day. I was born in a muggle family," the editor nods, jotting down some notes. "But even then, I was falling behind my classmates in school. It became clear pretty fast that I wasn't too good at magic. Some of my peers would tease me about it." 

"Oh, that must have been hard on you..." 

"Yeah." He shrugs a shoulder. "But in third year, I started exercising more. I got stronger, somehow. I always knew I was good at flying, but I didn't figure out I could play Quidditch until the Hufflepuff team captain talked me into trying out that year. I started out as a seeker, since I'm quite small, but they quickly realized my true talent is in Beating..." 

"That's quite an inspirational story, Kyungsoo. So, do you have a message for your fans?" 

Kyungsoo thinks about it for a moment, then sits up a little straighter in his seat. "Um, well. Everyone has different talents, right? In Hogwarts it's important to study magic and develop your skills in spells and potions, but don't worry if you're not as good as everyone else. There's something for you out there somewhere, so keep looking and trying new things. Never give up! Or something like that..." 

"Those are great words." Kyungsoo looks down, cheeks reddening. Not because of the compliment, but because Chanyeol had looked over at him with a slight smile on his face. It's the first change of expression he's had since their initial meeting, and it's shocking, to say the least.

The interview goes on in a blur, Kyungsoo putting on a bright smile and answering questions as best as he can. When he leaves, it's with a better impression than he'd given at the beginning, and that's all that matters. 

-

They get to practice a little late that evening, since Kyungsoo had to stop to change out of his formal robes on the way. The team is already all gathered on the field, but once they see Kyungsoo and Chanyeol arrive, they come running towards them. 

Kyungsoo frowns when he notices the worried looks on all of their faces, even Baekhyun's, who is the first to get close, circling his fingers around Kyungsoo's wrist and pulling him towards the locker room. 

"I don't know how they could have done this, 'Soo..." He says, voice thick. "It wasn't any of us, I swear, we were all out on the field when it happened. Seulgi's the one who found it, I..."

Kyungsoo pulls his hand out of Baekhyun's grip, stopping so suddenly that Chanyeol almost bumps right into his back, since he'd been hot on their heels all the way across the field. "What is it, Baekhyun?" He snaps, the atmosphere making him anxious. 

"Look for yourself..." Baekhyun pushes open the door to the locker room and Kyungsoo sees it right away. 

_YOU WILL DIE_

The words are drawn out over his locker in what looks to be bright red paint. Kyungsoo knows better, though. He doesn't need to get any closer to be able to tell that it's blood, glistening and sinister against the solid grey of his locker in the dim light of the changing area. 

"We tried to clean it up, but it must be bewitched." Baekhyun steps up beside Kyungsoo, taking hold of his wrist again. Kyungsoo lets him this time, stepping in closer to his friend. "No one saw anyone come in or out, isn't that strange?" 

"I feel... a little sick..." Kyungsoo admits quietly. He rests his cheek on Baekhyun's shoulder, and watches as Chanyeol steps around them, walking up to the locker to inspect it. 

"Don't worry," He says to them, in that deep voice of his. He mutters a few small incantations under his breath, dragging his wand over the words, which don't disappear completely but they do fade enough that they're less terrifying. Once he's done, he turns to the two Quidditch players, tucking his wand back inside his robes and offering them a smile. "Baekhyun, stay with him, okay? No one move for a bit. I'm going to inspect the grounds." 

-

Everyone's too distracted by the words on the locker for practice to really take off, even after Chanyeol confirms that there's no one in the arena but them. Minseok has no choice but to cut it off early, sending everyone home after he makes them promise to practice as hard as possible the next day. Kyungsoo's glad, to be honest – he'd started to tire of all the looks of pity people keep throwing in his direction. 

No one on the team had really taken it seriously before, including himself. This time things feel a little more real, though, and for the first time, Kyungsoo's actually quite scared for his life. 

He has no idea who it could be, though. How could he have hurt someone so bad that they're threatening his life without being aware of it? 

He's tired, so emotionally drained. All he wants to do is go home and sleep until this all goes away. He's slow in his movements as he changes into his muggle clothes, and he's dragging his broom along the ground on the way out of the door. Chanyeol stops in front of him before he can leave, though, and he shakes his head. "You should put your broom back in your locker. It's not safe for you to fly home right now." 

Okay, no. Kyungsoo's really not in the mood for this. "Then how am I supposed to get home?" He snaps, attempting to walk around this obstacle, but Chanyeol steps in front of him again. 

"Apparate. I don't think you should be flying on your own." 

"I don't know how to apparate. Please – get out of my way. I want to go home and sleep." 

"Kyungsoo, I'm sorry. I'm not letting you fly home anymore." 

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to argue back, but he can only gasp – his broom is being wrenched out of his hand by some invisible force, and he watches as it flies right into his locker, the door slamming shut behind it. He hadn't even seen Chanyeol brandish his wand, but he is removing his hand from his pocket when Kyungsoo looks back to him. 

"Mind your own business, Chanyeol." He's too tired to argue about this anymore. He turns in his spot, aiming to grab his broom from his locker again, but he only gets one step before he feels a warm hand curl around his, and he's pulled back against Chanyeol's chest. He thinks he hears a whispered "I'm sorry" before his feet leave the ground, his vision turning black. It's suffocating - it feels like invisible walls are closing in on him from every direction, and even once he's landed safely on the ground again in the hallway outside his dorm room, hands curled tight around the arm Chanyeol has anchored against his stomach, he can't seem to regain his breath. 

"I hate you," he chokes out, pushing Chanyeol's arm away as soon as he's collected himself enough to stumble towards the door. "I never wanted you here in the first place. I can protect myself. Just – just leave." 

"I'm sorry." Chanyeol says again, making no move to follow Kyungsoo's command, taking up his usual post next to the doorframe. 

Kyungsoo runs his fingers through his hair and tugs on the ends. He stares up at Chanyeol in disbelief, but Chanyeol's expression has settled to the same stoic one he's always wearing. He doesn't know how long he stands there, staring, but it's not until he finally gives up and makes to go inside that Chanyeol finally speaks again. 

"I don't want to be here either, Kyungsoo. I'm an Auror, not – as you so eloquently put it – your _babysitter_. But guess what? Neither of us have a choice right now." His voice sounds about as tired as Kyungsoo feels, and Kyungsoo's hand freezes on the doorknob as he listens. "So do as I say, and I'll stay out of your way as much as possible. And once this is done, we'll never have to look at each other again, okay? So let's try and get out of this unscathed." 

"Fine," Kyungsoo agrees, staring ahead of him at the door. He clicks it open, then steps one foot inside. "But don’t make me apparate ever again. If you don't want me to fly, we can take the muggle underground together." 

He doesn't wait for Chanyeol's answer before he slams the door behind him. He lets out a full body shudder that he'd been holding back in attempt to seem stronger than he is in front of Chanyeol, then he crawls into bed still wearing his clothes, passing out promptly on top of his sheets. 

-

Minseok wakes him up early the next morning, easing him out of bed with a promise of a good breakfast. They head over together to the Leaky Cauldron, since it's close and comfortable, and they choose a seat near a fireplace that's bewitched to burn red and white in support of the upcoming final qualifier matches. Kyungsoo watches the flames flicker with a small smile on his face, Minseok just sitting quietly for the first little while. 

He feels a lot better since the night before, thanks to a good full night of sleep and the fact that he no longer feels like the world is tilting right beneath his feet. He feels a strange sort of calmness, and not even the fact that he can see Chanyeol out of the corner of his eye, sipping at a mug of coffee at the bar, is dampening his spirits. 

"I know it's been hard on you lately," Minseok says after a while, nudging his foot against Kyungsoo's ankle. "He made you apparate with him yesterday, didn't he? I can talk to him about that, if you like." 

"It's fine." Kyungsoo shakes his head, leaning back in the armchair. "We already spoke about it." 

"Are you okay, though?" Minseok's voice is gentle, almost as comforting as the fire beside them. Kyungsoo nods. 

"Yes, I promise." 

Minseok nods, looking satisfied with Kyungsoo's response. He picks up one of his tea biscuits and drops it onto Kyungsoo's plate. "I hope we catch the guy – or girl or whoever it is – before the qualifier matches." Minseok sighs out. "Everyone's distracted because of this, especially after the locker incident. They're all – worried about you." 

"They don't need to be. I can handle myself." He's not sure how honest he's being with this response. They're no closer to finding out who it is – it could even be a teammate, for all they know. It's evolved now from only notes, so anything could happen to him at any time, and the idea of that scares him more than he'd like to admit. 

"Just two weeks until the Qualifiers now, Kyungsoo. After that, we'll be able to keep you safe and hidden until we have to start practicing for the World Cup." 

Kyungsoo nods, putting on his best smile. If the person doing this was so easy to catch, they would have done it by now, but there's no sense of saying this and distressing his coach even further. He has enough on his plate with the world cup coming up. 

-

The first of the final two qualifier matches of the series is against Slovenia which Kyungsoo thinks is a little cruel of whoever decided this. His first ever loss on the team had been against the Slovene side, and the embarrassment lives with him to this day. He'd been so happy to finally get off the bench after one of the starting beaters failed to show up in time, but he ended up getting knocked out by the first bludger sent in his direction. Tragic, really. 

It only makes him train harder over the next ten days, though. Minseok doesn’t keep the team as long as usual because he doesn't want to tire them out so close to the game, so Kyungsoo takes it upon himself to stay later, racing the bludgers around the otherwise empty stadium for hours on end. Sometimes he forces Seulgi and Baekhyun to stay behind with him, but they just end up laughing until they can't breathe whenever Kyungsoo misses a muggle softball he's supposed to be hitting into the distance, or Baekhyun falls off his broom in an attempt to catch the apple they're pretending is a snitch. 

Sometimes, sometimes, he really pushes his luck. Chanyeol's kept up to his promise a little too well – he hasn't said a single word to Kyungsoo since their little altercation after the apparation incident. He just follows Kyungsoo from place to place with exactly three paces between them, and stands as far as he possibly can when they're in the same room. At practices, he stays in the stands, rooted to one spot with his eyes trained on Kyungsoo's every movement but he's not watching, not really. 

Kyungsoo doesn't know why this bothers him so much, but it does, so he tries everything within his power to keep Chanyeol's eyes on him – to try and force a reaction out of him, at the very least. If he catches Chanyeol yawning, he'll push himself to stay at least an hour longer, even if his own exhaustion is taking over his every movement. If Chanyeol happens to look away, if only for a second, Kyungsoo will send a bludger whizzing by so close that it sends that infuriating mop of brown hair into a windswept disarray. 

If it's annoying, Chanyeol doesn't let it show. He barely even moves from his spot, his expression unchanging except for the slightest quirk of his lips, which might even just be Kyungsoo seeing things. 

"I just – I just don't get it," he confesses to Baekhyun one night, just a handful of days before the first qualifier match. They're the only ones in the dorm that evening, since the other members have gone home to visit their families across England, so naturally the firewhisky is out and they're both a little red in the cheeks. "I want him to leave me be, and he does, but him leaving me be is even more annoying than him always being in my space! It makes no sense, Baekhyun. I hate him so much." 

"Uh huh," Baekhyun nods, waving his bottle back and forth through the air, eyes following the deep brown liquid like it's the most fascinating thing in the world. "I don't hate him, he's hot." 

"Shut up, that's so not important right now." Kyungsoo groans, flopping back in the bed and kicking at Baekhyun's legs. "His looks are irrelevant, Baekhyun. Besides, he looks like a bowtruckle, nothing hot about him..." 

"He's tall." Baekhyun does a grand gesture with his arms that has a good amount of the whiskey spilling right into his lap, but he's completely unfazed by it. "And his shoulders are so wide. And his teeth are perfect. Have you seen his teeth? Probably not, because he has no reason to smile at you – "

"Shut up," Kyungsoo repeats with a huff of breath. "Of course I've seen his teeth, yes, they're perfect, but that doesn't stop him from being so – so..." 

"So what?" Baekhyun sets the bottle down on the ground beside the bed and then stretches out next to Kyungsoo, playing with the hem of the curtains hanging from the bedposts. "There's nothing wrong with him. You just don't like him 'cause you're embarrassed that you have a bodyguard to begin with." Kyungsoo opens his mouth to respond, but closes it promptly when he realizes he doesn't have anything to say to that. Baekhyun's always so unapologetically honest when he's drunk. "He seems like a really talented wizard, don't you think? He's the only one that was able to make any of the blood on your locker budge, and he graduated auror school, too." 

He turns to grin in Kyungsoo's direction, but Kyungsoo just pushes his face back, nose scrunched up in distaste. "It's literally his job to be good at magic, Baekhyun. You're just easy to please." 

"Maybe." Baekhyun laughs, and Kyungsoo presses his palms to his own cheeks, surprised at just how warm they feel. "But he coulda quit by now, you know? He hasn't." Kyungsoo doesn't have anything to say to that one, either, so he stays silent. Baekhyun sighs after a few moments, rolling off the bed and dragging his feet over to climb into his own. "If I were in your shoes, I'd just enjoy the eyecandy while I have it. But eh, suit yourself."

He's snoring away just moments after he stops talking, but Kyungsoo doesn't sleep too well that night. Baekhyun's words, though spoken under the influence, give him plenty to think about, and these thoughts plague him all the way until the next morning. 

-

Kyungsoo regrets the whisky as soon as he wakes up to the pounding headache and the telltale nausea twisting in his gut. He sits up in his bed, shirt sticking uncomfortably to every groove in his skin, and looks around. Baekhyun's already up and gone, since the room is empty other than him. He slides out of bed and steps into his slippers, shuffling into the common area in search of some sort of painkilling draught, but the only thing he finds is Chanyeol sitting in one of the armchairs, cradling a cup of coffee in his hands. 

"Oh," he gets up quickly when he spots Kyungsoo, setting the coffee aside and bowing his head in apology. "I'm sorry. Your teammate ... ah, Baekhyun? He invited me in. He said you weren't feeling good." 

Kyungsoo just squints at him, then moves into the kitchen to pour himself his own mug of coffee from the pot sitting on the stove, which automatically starts refilling itself once Kyungsoo sets it back down again. "Whatever," he eventually says, looking over at Chanyeol, trying his best not to think too hard about the words Baekhyun had said the night before. It's hard not to, though – he's not wearing his robes today, just the white button up and a pair of dark purple slacks. He looks a little too good, and Baekhyun's right – his shoulders really are quite wide. 

"You look like a right mess," Chanyeol says, chancing a few steps closer. He pulls his wand out from his pocket, and Kyungsoo peers at it curiously. "Do you want me to fix the headache for you?" 

There's a beat of hesitance. The stubborn side of Kyungsoo really wants to say no, but the pain is pulsing right through to the back of his neck and he can't imagine making it to the practice later in the evening if it stays like this. So, he nods, closing his eyes and swallowing thickly when he feels the tip of Chanyeol's wand nudge against his temple. Just like that, the pain is gone, and fizzling away into nothing with a shiver that goes all the way down to his toes. He lets out a sigh of relief, leaning back against the counter. "How are you not a Healer? That was amazing..." 

"Ah..." He blinks his eyes open just in time to see Chanyeol duck his head again to hide the blush that's dusting his cheeks a rosy pink. "It was nothing, really. We just learn a few basic healing skills in auror school as part of the training." 

Kyungsoo picks up his coffee mug, then blows lightly on the surface of the liquid before taking a sip. It falls silent between them, and Kyungsoo shifts his weight from one foot to the other. The silence feels heavy this time, and Kyungsoo's left trying to figure out why. 

It's broken after a few long moments when Baekhyun comes wandering out of the bathrooms with a loud yawn to announce his presence. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo both snap their gaze to him at the exact same time, and a knowing grin spreads across his face at the sight he's presented with. "Well, good morning," he says, with a voice so cheery it should be made illegal any time before noon. "Bonding in the kitchen, are we?" 

"Shut up, Baekhyun." Kyungsoo says with a heavy sigh, pouring his coffee down the sink and raising a fist in Baekhyun's direction as he excuses himself to take a shower. 

-

The last practice before the qualifiers is probably the most relaxed one Kyungsoo's ever been to. Minseok's in really high spirits, probably because everyone has been playing so well, lately. After they're done their stretches, he calls for them to split into teams for a fun little practice match, and he doesn't even fight it when Baekhyun, Seulgi and Kyungsoo immediately stick together like glue so they'll be put on the same team. 

It's all fun and games at the beginning. They're laughing and cheering with every goal scored or missed, dogpiling on Baekhyun every time he comes a little bit close to catching the snitch. It's one of those days where Kyungsoo feels like he's on top of the world, and he forgets all about death threats and bodyguards and warnings written in blood on lockers. 

The euphoria doesn't last too long in the end. Right as he's raising his arms to celebrate another goal scored by Seulgi in the opposing team's hoops, his broom suddenly lurches forward, and he's lucky his reflexes are quick, otherwise he would have been thrown right off. Instead, he grabs hold of the handle with his free hand, staring around to try and figure out if someone had bumped into him by mistake without him noticing, but no one is paying him any attention. 

He's about to shrug and continue with the game when it happens again. He drops his bat this time, and it falls to the ground with a deafening thud that has everyone turning his way. He tries to fly forward, but he has no control of the broom now, and it starts dragging him back and forth through the air, jerking up and down, making it harder and harder for him to keep his grip. 

A roll in the air has him sliding right off the broomstick, and he's clinging on for dear life now. He starts swinging his legs back and forth to try and flip himself back onto the seat, but it's futile; the broom seems to be doing everything in his power to kick him off. 

"Just let go," he hears, coming from somewhere down below. He shakes his head no, and screws his eyes shut, only clinging on tighter. The last thing he wants to do is go hurtling towards the ground at this height – there's no way he'd make it out of that alive. 

"Let go of the broom, Kyungsoo!" The voice repeats, and that's when it becomes clear to Kyungsoo that it's Chanyeol calling out to him. He takes a deep breath and opens his eyes, glancing down to try and get a look. His teammates are circling around underneath him, clearly unsure of what to do, and he can sort of see Chanyeol in the stands, wand brandished in the air. 

"I'm scared," He tries to yell back, but his voice is too strained to be heard from such a distance. 

"Trust me, Kyungsoo!" Chanyeol yells, waving his free hand through the air. "I've got you! Just let go." 

He doesn't know why the words are such a comfort to him, but it's all he needed to hear before he lets the broom twist out of his grasp. He closes his eyes to brace himself for the inevitable impact when he starts falling towards the ground, but Chanyeol's voice is yelling out again, words Kyungsoo can't quite figure out this time, and it suddenly starts to feel like the world is slowing down around him. 

A long moment passes and it finally processes that it wasn't the world slowing down, it was him. He opens his eyes again, right in time for his back to bump gently against the grass. He takes a deep breath and spreads himself out, staring up at the clouds, not moving even when his teammates start crowding around him, talking amongst themselves in voices layered with worry. 

"That was crazy," Kyungsoo registers that as Baekhyun's voice, but it sounds rather distant, like he's talking from the other side of a glass wall. "Your broom kinda went mental, and then you let go and Chanyeol did this thing with his wand and – "

"Give him space, Baekhyun." Ah. Kyungsoo grins when he hears Chanyeol's voice, clear as day. He pushes himself up, but the action makes the world start spinning around him, so he tilts all his weight to the side, only to bump right into something quite warm. "Hey, careful, you." The Warmth is now wrapping an arm around him, and suddenly the world starts to right itself again, slowing to a stop. He doesn't push away, even when he realizes that it is in fact Chanyeol holding onto him so securely. 

"I'm dizzy," he says instead, and Chanyeol nods, petting the side of his head, which is strangely rather comforting. He closes his eyes again, resting all of his weight against Chanyeol's side. His muscles feel so heavy, and he really doesn't think this is the most appropriate place for sleep but Chanyeol is so, so warm that he can't really help himself. 

-

They take him to St. Mungo's, which doesn't go without protest, but it's Minseok who finally puts a firm foot down and tells him if he wants to play in the qualifiers he has to go. He doesn't fight it after that, and crawls into the bed as instructed and lets the Healers fuss over him with calming draughts and anti-stress potions. 

He's perfectly secure within the walls of the hospital, but for some reason, Chanyeol still stays. It's well past midnight by now, but he's still standing by the door, gripping his wand in one hand and the other tucked into the pocket of his slacks. His face is set and stony, but Kyungsoo's really looking at him now – he can see the exhaustion written under his eyes, how his lips are curved downwards ever so slightly. 

"You can sit, you know," He eventually says, when the sight becomes a little too much for him to handle. "No one's gonna come attack me in St. Mungo's, they're not that dumb." 

Chanyeol's eyes widen slightly in surprise, and he turns to Kyungsoo. There's a long moment of hesitance before he shifts his weight and then takes slow steps towards the armchair by the window. "Thanks, Kyungsoo," he says quietly as he sits, and his voice sounds about as tired as he looks. 

Things fall silent between them again, but Kyungsoo finds he's really not ready to stop talking yet. He looks down at his hands, picking at a loose thread in the thin wool blanket that's covering him. "Um. What you did back there, I – thank you?" He tries. 

Chanyeol looks up at him again, then shrugs. "I was doing my job, Kyungsoo. Don't sweat it." 

"Yeah, but – " Kyungsoo's entire being is starting to deflate. "I could have died. You saved my life." 

"Don't sweat it," Chanyeol repeats, then lowers his head, fingertips pressing into his temple. 

"Do you have a headache, Chanyeol?" Kyungsoo sits up straight in his bed, then leans over to grab his wand from the bedside table. "If you can tell me the incantation you used, I'll try and make it feel better...? It can't be too hard, right?" 

Chanyeol exhales out a laugh then and looks up at Kyungsoo with a small, tired smile. "No, it's okay." He waves his hand in dismissal. "I don't have a headache. I'm just thinking." 

"About what?" Kyungsoo presses, and at first he thinks Chanyeol isn't going to reply when a few moments of silence pass between them again, but eventually Chanyeol gets up, walking closer and then sitting on the edge of the bed instead. 

"It's..." He starts, voice faltering like he's not sure how to go about this. "I saw him. I think? He jinxed your broom... and I knew that you need to be within the vicinity to make a spell like that work. I saw someone wearing a cloak. He disappeared between the bleachers on the opposite side of the pitch when you let go of the broom. I wanted to chase him, but I was more focused on seeing if you were okay." 

"Oh..." Kyungsoo looks down at Chanyeol's hand. His knuckles have gone white with how hard he's gripping around the corner of the mattress. He doesn't know what comes over him, then, but he reaches out to cover it with his own. "It's fine, Chanyeol. I'm sure he'll be back..." 

"Exactly." Chanyeol shakes his head, pulling his hand out from under Kyungsoo's and holding it around himself. "He'll be back. He'll try something new. I could have ended all of this today, but I didn't. I made a poor choice as an auror and your bodyguard because I was too caught up by..." He falls silent, shaking his head again. 

Kyungsoo exhales a heavy breath through his nose and then turns to look out the window. He's not sure what to say to all this to make Chanyeol feel better about what happened, so he closes his eyes and let's sleep take over him. They can face it tomorrow, if they have to. 

-

"Oh, you're awake?" 

Kyungsoo hides a yawn behind his hand and then stretches out on the bed. He scratches his tummy and then squints over at Chanyeol, who's back in his spot by the door. It's Minseok who had spoken, though, and he's taken up residence in the armchair, leaning forward in the seat when Kyungsoo sits himself up, propping a pillow behind him. 

"Hey, coach," he greets, but then shudders with another yawn. He feels great, to be honest – except a little overtired. He must have slept a long time. Chanyeol glances over at him, then, but then quickly looks away again when their gazes meet. Minseok snorts, which has Kyungsoo shifting his weight so he can face his coach properly. "Sorry about yesterday." He says. "I feel fine now, though, so I should be good for the game." 

"It's fine," Minseok's smile is gentle, and perhaps a little sad. Kyungsoo cocks his head in confusion, drawing his knees up to his chest. "Ah, Kyungsoo. I just need to say it, don't I?" 

There's a long pause, and Kyungsoo feels a rock drop right into the pit of his stomach. He doesn't want to believe it, but he knows exactly what's coming. "There's – no way to fight it, is there?" He eventually asks, voice small. "I've been training so hard. For the past six months..." 

"I'm sorry." Minseok stands then and reaches out to rest his hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder, but it's only shrugged away. "The directors aren't giving me a choice. They said they'll consider letting you play in the next one if you're feeling up to it, okay? It's only three days from now." 

"I'm feeling up to it now." He takes a deep breath, looking over at Chanyeol, who's staring right back at him, biting down hard on his bottom lip. "I'm – feeling completely fine."

"I'm sorry, Kyungsoo." Minseok repeats with a sigh, then turns to leave. Once he's at the door, he hesitates. "Your Healer told me he wants to give you one more quick check up before you're discharged. Come watch the game after, okay? The team will want you there, regardless." 

When Minseok slides the door shut behind him, Chanyeol steps closer to the bed. Kyungsoo looks away from him, shoulders sagging. "This isn't fair," he ends up whispering. "I don't know what I did wrong." The bed dips down beside him, and he finds himself leaning into the warmth again. He rests his cheek on Chanyeol's shoulder, and takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Did I hurt someone, Chanyeol? Did I hurt them without meaning to? If I really did, I'd deserve this, right?" 

Chanyeol pulls Kyungsoo in closer, running fingers through the short strands of his hair. "You don't deserve this at all," is all he says, and Kyungsoo's eyes start to sting. Since he was thirteen years old, Quidditch has been the only constant in his life, the one thing that really makes him feel like he belongs in this world. Taking it away from him, he thinks, would be a whole lot worse than killing him. 

-

They seat Kyungsoo up in the top box with the board of directors. They're all chatting with him like nothing's wrong, like watching his teammates battle the Slovene side without him isn't clawing him apart from the inside out. Chanyeol's standing directly behind him, and the hand he has resting firmly on Kyungsoo's shoulder is the only comfort he has in this situation. 

They win, of course they do. Even without the spectacular dive Baekhyun had accomplished to catch the snitch, the chasers had been absolute superstars, passing the quaffle between them like it's weightless, sinking goals through the hoops before the keeper even has a chance to react. The stadium explodes with the cheers of thirty-thousand onlookers and Kyungsoo joins in – he's happy for them, he really is. He just wishes that he could be down there with them, doing the victory lap around the field and then dogpiling on top of Baekhyun, who Kyungsoo can tell without seeing is grinning so wide his face could split. 

He meets the team in the locker room and congratulates them one by one, though it gets harder and harder for him to repeat the words as time goes by. He approaches Baekhyun last, who bundles him up in a tight hug – trust Baekhyun to be the one that's able to read his mind. "We would have done better with you," he insists, and before Kyungsoo can deny it Baekhyun's back to squeezing the life out of him. "You absolutely have to play in the next game, okay? If it means killing the guy who's threatening you with my bare hands, I'll do it." 

"There's no need," Kyungsoo opens his mouth to reply, but Chanyeol speaks first from his spot behind Kyungsoo, and both Quidditch players turn to look at him in surprise. "I'll kill him first."

Baekhyun clears his throat, and then lets out a quiet laugh. Kyungsoo's not sure he enjoys the smug little smirk on his best friend's face, so he breaks the hug and takes a step back. There's an unexplained feeling twisting in his gut now and no matter how hard he swallows, he can't displace it. 

"So, um," Baekhyun is the one to break the sudden silence that has fallen over them, his voice bright and cheery. "The team's gonna head over to the Leaky Cauldron to celebrate the win. You guys best come, okay? We apparently have the whole place to ourselves. I think – you especially..." He nudges Kyungsoo's shoulder. "You need to have a few drinks, okay? Let loose. It's been rough, right?" 

"I..." Kyungsoo looks over at Chanyeol, who gives him a tiny nod of reassurance. "I guess so." 

"It'll take you longer to get there, so. We'll see you there, okay?" He gestures vaguely at the locker room door and then bounces away to bother someone else on the team. Chanyeol places a hand on Kyungsoo's forearm, steering him towards the exit. 

"Baekhyun's right," he says. "You really do need to let loose. Don't worry about anything tonight, okay? I'll keep you safe." 

The twisting in his gut only gets worse, so he stays silent. He's not sure drinking is exactly what he needs right now, but he's never really been good at saying no to Baekhyun. 

"Or..." Chanyeol continues after a while, and it's not until Kyungsoo looks up that he realizes Chanyeol's watching his face. "We could ditch them. It's … been a while since I've been to Diagon Alley." There's something so comforting about the smile Chanyeol gives him then, that Kyungsoo finds himself nodding before he really registers what he's agreeing to. 

"That sounds much better," he mumbles, and Chanyeol gives his arm a light squeeze. 

-

After a quick stop at the Leaky Cauldron to let Baekhyun know they won't be staying, all they do is walk in silence along the alley, stopping in front of the shops which, for the most part, are closed for the evening. Chanyeol follows Kyungsoo along, stepping up beside him when he peers through the windows into the dark storefronts, placing a hand on his lower back when they have to sidestep around a group of old witches trying to sell them talisman. It's quite peaceful, and Kyungsoo's glad Chanyeol was able to read his mood and bring him here instead. 

Quality Quidditch Supplies is up at the north end of the alley, and Kyungsoo's original intention had been to walk right by it, but Chanyeol catches hold of his wrist to stop and get a look. There's a big poster in the window, covering the display. It's one of the England World Cup Quidditch team, reserves and all. They're standing in a huddle in front of a big England flag. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun are right at the front in the picture, both grinning so wide their eyes are curved as Baekhyun hip-checks Kyungsoo out of the frame, only for Kyungsoo to come stumbling back in to shove at Baekhyun's shoulder. 

"You guys look so happy," Chanyeol says, reaching out and tapping against the glass where Kyungsoo is on the poster. It causes a bit of a disturbance within the image, all the players scrambling out of the way, except Baekhyun, who makes grabbing gestures at Chanyeol's finger. "When was this taken?" 

"About six months ago," Kyungsoo says, staring pointedly at the brooms on display by the door, rather than the poster. "When the starting lineup for these qualifiers had been decided." 

"Ahh," Chanyeol drops his hand to his side and watches on as all the players reassemble themselves into their positions. "That's why." 

Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and then rubs the back of his neck, turning away from the store to keep walking. Chanyeol follows at his regular distance, but Kyungsoo finds himself slowing down so they can fall into step together. "Have you ever played Quidditch, Chanyeol?" He asks. 

"No," Chanyeol shakes his head and laughs. "I'm not all that good on a broom. It's better for everyone if I keep both feet planted firmly on the ground." 

"Is that the real reason you didn't want me flying home anymore?" Kyungsoo snickers, looking up at Chanyeol, who shoves at Kyungsoo's shoulder with a bright laugh. 

"No. Maybe! Shut up..." He grumbles, and it only makes Kyungsoo laugh harder. "Seriously! I wouldn't be able to keep up with you if I flew with you, and that's a lot of unprotected time to yourself. Anything could happen, so it's better I keep you at an arms distance, right? It's my job to keep you alive, right now." 

"It's strange..." Kyungsoo says, once his laughs subside enough that he's able to form words again. "I really thought I'd hate having you around. You're not so bad, though." 

"You're not so bad yourself, Kyungsoo." Chanyeol's smile settles into something pleasant. "To be honest, when my boss told me I was gonna be your bodyguard, I was so angry. All I could think was that I'd be stuck following around some bratty Quidditch superstar and that all the money I spent on Auror school would be a waste, but I was wrong about you..." 

"In what way?" Kyungsoo tugs on the back of Chanyeol's sleeve. "Am I not some bratty Quidditch superstar?" 

"You are! You're a total brat," Chanyeol laughs, swatting at Kyungsoo's hand. Then he says, without a beat of hesitance, "but you're so cute I'd gladly put up with it for the rest of my life if I had to." 

Now that was the last thing Kyungsoo ever expected to hear coming out of his bodyguard's mouth. He slows to a stop, staring up at Chanyeol with wide eyes, and Chanyeol turns to look at him, panicking a little when he notices Kyungsoo's expression. 

"Hey, sorry. Did that sound weird? I didn't mean it like that! I just meant like... you know? As your bodyguard. I wouldn't mind if this was my job, full time..." 

That didn't exactly explain away the comment about him being _cute_ so Kyungsoo clamps his mouth shut and continues walking. He knows he's blushing, he can feel the heat right down to his neck. Chanyeol's acting all jittery now, too, so they continue walking in silence, both seemingly lost in their own thoughts. 

It goes on like this until a little while later when a group of young wizards pour out of a pub down one of the side streets and onto the main alley. One of them bumps into Kyungsoo, who quickly ducks his head – they're all covered from head to toe in England team memorabilia, so it's clear they'd been celebrating the win. Kyungsoo stumbles right into Chanyeol's side, and Chanyeol wraps a strong arm right around his waist to keep him steady. 

It makes the heat spread all the way to the tips of his toes. 

"Keep your head down," Chanyeol mumbles into his ear, leaning close. "One of those kids is staring at you. And it's – " Kyungsoo snaps his head up quickly to look, but Chanyeol lifts a hand to the back of his head and drags him in, pressing his face to his chest. "I said, don't look." 

Kyungsoo nods, settling his hands on Chanyeol's waist because he doesn't know where else to put them, pushing slightly to try and get away. "Okay, fine, I won't," he insists, but Chanyeol only draws him in closer. 

"Please don't hate me for this," Chanyeol whispers, and that's the only warning Kyungsoo has before his feet are dragged out from under him, and those walls start pressing in on him from every angle, twisting, pulling. 

He's a gasping mess when they land in the lobby of an apartment building. The muggle guard looks rather gobsmacked to see them there so suddenly, but Chanyeol makes quick work of that with nothing more than a flick of his wand and a whisper of "obliviate". 

Kyungsoo curls his hands into fists and hits them against Chanyeol's chest, but it's not with enough power to cause real harm. Chanyeol holds onto him loosely, whispering more apologies over and over until Kyungsoo gets it all out of his system. 

Once they're safely tucked inside what Kyungsoo soon learns to be Chanyeol's apartment, Kyungsoo curled up on the sofa with a cup of hot tea and Chanyeol sitting across from him in an armchair, Chanyeol finally explains. "Something felt off." He says, and Kyungsoo peers up at him over the rim of his mug. "The kid that was staring at you... when he caught me watching, his smile – it seemed so twisted." 

"Do you think it was him?" Kyungsoo asks quietly, and Chanyeol shrugs. 

"I don't know. I really don't know, Kyungsoo. I panicked again, I wanted to get you somewhere safe." 

Kyungsoo nods and looks around, taking in the bare interior of Chanyeol's apartment. It's big enough to be comfortable, but it's so empty that it doesn't feel like a home at all. 

"I'm never home," Chanyeol says in explanation, as if he'd been reading Kyungsoo's mind. "I just sleep here, really. It's enough." 

"Oh." Kyungsoo takes one last little sip of the tea and then sets it aside. "It's fine...."

"Make yourself comfortable, okay? Stay here for the night. I'll get you some clothes and draw you a bath. You can have my bed, too. It's really warm and cozy! Muggles make good mattresses, don't you think?" 

"Okay, Chanyeol." Kyungsoo says, unable to keep the smile from spreading across his face. Chanyeol's full of surprises today, he thinks, and the fact that he's being so endearing right now is adding a new one onto the pile. 

Chanyeol hides a small smile of his own behind his hands and then turns to go into his room, gathering the clothes for Kyungsoo and then wandering back into the living room. When Kyungsoo sees him again, he sits up a little straighter, reaching out to take what looks to be a pair of muggle trackpants and a simple white tshirt. 

"Thank you, for this." He says, and Chanyeol waves a hand like it's no big deal at all. A moment of silence passes between them, as usual, and then Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and continues. "Thank you for making me feel safe." 

-

The letter is sitting in his locker when he gets to practice the next day, and he picks it up, turning the envelope over in his hands with a small sigh. No one is around him – the rest of the team hasn't arrived yet and Chanyeol's waiting right outside the door – so he opens it carefully, letting the empty envelope fall to the ground as he unfolds the letter. 

He won't be able to save you this time.  
I'm going to kill you in front of everyone  
See you in two days, Kyungsoo

With a sharp gasp he scrunches the letter up into a ball, tossing it back into his locker and then slamming the door shut. He must have been louder than he thought, because the door opens in a hurry, and both Minseok and Chanyeol come tumbling in, equal looks of concern and fear on their faces. 

"What – are you okay?" Minseok asks quickly, placing his hands on Kyungsoo's shoulders and giving him a quick once over at arm's length. Kyungsoo nods, looking down at the ground between them. 

"Yeah, sorry," he mumbles, looking up and putting on the best smile he can muster. "I saw a mouse and it – it startled me. I thought it could be something else." He tries to pass it off with a laugh, and it's enough for Minseok, but he can feel Chanyeol's gaze on him, scrutinizing him. 

"Fine, fine." Minseok ruffles up Kyungsoo's bangs and then steps around him to head towards his office. "Go stretch and then do a few laps around the field to calm yourself down before practice. The directors are coming to watch you fly today – they want to make sure you're good to go for the next game." 

"Yes, coach," 

When Minseok disappears into his office, Chanyeol flicks his wand and the envelope that had been laying on the ground shoots across the locker room and into his hand. He takes a deep breath and stares at Kyungsoo expectantly.

"It's nothing," Kyungsoo says in a small voice, shrinking under the intensity of Chanyeol's gaze. "I don't want them to know, or they won't let me play." 

"Kyungsoo," Chanyeol says, and there's a sort of urgency in his voice that he's never had before. "Please. Don't keep these things from me, at least." 

"I think..." Kyungsoo eyes Minseok's office, then lowers his voice to a whisper. "I think he's going to try and kill me at the game, Chanyeol. But I – I really want to play." He bends to pick up his broom, biting down on his bottom lip. "Please don't tell Minseok or the directors, okay? They'll stop me from playing and if that happens I don't think I'd be able to forgive you, you know? I don't want any reason to hate you again..." 

"You're making this so hard for me, Kyungsoo," Chanyeol's shoulders drop and his hands start to shake, and Kyungsoo has to look away. "You're forcing me to make decisions unbefitting of an auror. I can't – I shouldn't let you play. But..." He hesitates, rubbing a hand over the side of his neck. "If that's what you really want, I won't stop you." 

"Thank you," Kyungsoo breathes out, relieved. He steps in closer, taking the envelope carefully out of trembling hands and throwing it into the rubbish. "Thank you, Chanyeol." He grins, but the expression he's met with isn't quite as cheerful. 

"I have one condition, though," Chanyeol says, lifting a hand to fix the collar of Kyungsoo's training robes. "You have to let me teach you some spells to defend yourself, okay? In case I... I can't be there in time." 

"Deal," He agrees quickly. Anything for him to play, he thinks – and he'd also do absolutely anything to take that distressed look off of Chanyeol's face. 

-

"I think I like him," 

The confession tumbles right out of his mouth before he even registers what he's saying. Baekhyun, who had been innocently sitting in his bed with a Quidditch magazine propped open against his legs, looks over at him in surprise. "What?" He asks, pushing his oversized glasses up his nose with his index finger. 

Kyungsoo sets his broomstick against the window ledge and then climbs onto his bed. It's quite late, but he'd only just gotten home. Him and Chanyeol had stayed over two hours after practice had ended, taking advantage of the space in the empty arena so Kyungsoo could practice spells without causing damage to any innocent bystanders. He'd struggled, especially at the start, but Chanyeol had been so good and patient with him that for the first time in his life he'd been able to cast a decent shield spell. 

"I like him," he repeats, a little more sure of himself this time. "Chanyeol," he adds, for further clarification. 

Baekhyun sits up straighter and closes the magazine, shifting in his spot so he can see Kyungsoo a little better. "Oh..." His expression softens. "What happened?" 

Kyungsoo bites down on his bottom lip and then pulls his blanket up to his chin. They're talking in Korean like they usually do when they don't want their dormmates to catch on to their conversation, but he still feels so shy and exposed like this. 

"He makes me feel safe," he whispers. "And sometimes when I look at him, or when he holds onto me, my stomach aches. It's not a bad ache, I guess. Just...longing?" It's only now that he's saying these things out loud that they make sense to him. "He has a pretty smile." 

Baekhyun crawls out of his own bed and then climbs into Kyungsoo's, who scoots over to make room for him. "Are you sure it's because you like him?"

Some time passes where Kyungsoo doesn't say anything at all, he only thinks. He thinks about all the times Chanyeol had been there, a silent pillar of strength that had grown so comforting over time. He thinks about all the smiles he catches Chanyeol sending in his direction, and the way they make his eyes crinkle in the corners, a dimple forming in his right cheek. He thinks about those times Chanyeol pulled him in close, how fast it made his heart race in his chest. Eventually, he nods, taking a deep breath before he speaks again. 

"I want to kiss him so bad." Now, he didn't really think that one through either, but now that he's said it he knows it's true. Baekhyun laughs and hits his chest. 

"Then do it, you idiot! You might be dead meat soon enough, so do it while you still have a chance." 

-

With the excitement of the team during last few hours before the big game, Kyungsoo completely forgets to be anxious about the threat he'd received. 

Everyone in the locker room is on edge, hyper even. Baekhyun's practically bouncing on the balls of his feet, and Minseok's going around giving pep talks that no one is actually paying attention to. Kyungsoo's sitting down on the bench closest to his assigned locker for the day, hands folded neatly in his lap, watching everything happen around him, feeling almost numb. 

When Chanyeol eventually comes and sits down beside him, Kyungsoo feels a shiver go down right to the tips of his toes. "Hey," he greets, but his voice is a little thick. He's been a little distant with Chanyeol since his conversation with Baekhyun two nights earlier, but he can't really help it – he doesn't catch feelings easily, so the revelation had been big for him. Chanyeol doesn't seem to mind, though; he's probably chalking it up to nervousness for the big game, and for the threat against his life. 

"Hey you," Chanyeol's voice is tender when he replies, and he's leaning close enough to be heard over the noise around them. "You holding up okay?" 

Kyungsoo nods, then looks down. Chanyeol's circling warm fingers around his wrist, and tugging him gently until he's up off the bench and then outside the locker room, somewhere quieter – private. 

_Do it, you idiot,_ says a voice that sounds suspiciously like Baekhyun's in the back of his head. 

"I spoke to the head of security about potential risks involved with having you here, but they're already well prepared. I guess the Auror's office got to him before I did." Chanyeol starts explaining, and Kyungsoo nods numbly. He's not really listening; instead watching the way those soft lips curl around every word. "Keep your wand inside your robes, don't let it fall out, okay? You don't have to worry about anything, there are a lot of people keeping you safe. Okay, Kyungsoo?" There's a pause. "Um, Kyungsoo?" 

"Yeah?" Kyungsoo snaps out of whatever daze he was in. "Sorry, I... spaced out a bit." 

"It's okay," Chanyeol smiles good-naturedly, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I get it. You must be scared, but you really don't have to worry, I mean it." He says quickly. "Promise me one thing." He sticks up one finger, and Kyungsoo's eyes go a little crossed as he stares at it. "No matter what you hear or see, don't get scared and definitely stop playing, okay? You can trust me. I'm going to keep you safe." 

"Okay," Kyungsoo whispers. "I promise." 

Chanyeol's smile is a little more genuine then, and he reaches out to flatten a wrinkle in the chest of Kyungsoo's robes. "You're going to be great, Kyungsoo." He says earnestly, and Kyungsoo looks up to meet his gaze. Chanyeol's staring right back down at him, and Kyungsoo's cheeks start to feel warm, but he refuses to look away this time. 

"I'll make you proud," he mumbles. Chanyeol's hand moves from his chest, and next thing he knows there are fingertips pressing into the curve of his jaw. Kyungsoo swallows thickly, and he really thinks he could do it – it would take a step, a single step and then he'd only need to stand on his tiptoes for their lips to meet. 

He never gets a chance to make his move, though. The door bangs open and Chanyeol jolts away as if he'd been electrocuted, mumbling apologies that Kyungsoo can't hear because the team is spilling out of the locker room and into the hallway, brooms in hand, their nervous voices loud. 

"Fighting!" Chanyeol mouths, and Kyungsoo gives him a firm nod, taking his broom and bat from a curious looking Baekhyun and allowing his teammates to drag him down the hall and towards the entry tunnel. He can already hear the screams of thousands of their fans, and he smiles to himself – this is really all going to be okay. It has to be. 

-

The Lithuanian side is playing strong. 

Kyungsoo doesn't even know how long the game has gone on for – all he knows is that they're sort of getting destroyed. He's stopped looking at the time and scoreboard now, but he doesn't really need to when he can hear the loud groans of the fans in the stadium every time the Lithuanian chasers sink yet another goal through the hoops. 

He's trying hard not to let it affect him, but he can see the way the other players on the English side are slumped forward on their brooms, deflating further and further with every goal scored against them. It's really not looking good – if they want to win this, Baekhyun really needs to catch the snitch soon. 

As if to add insult to injury, it starts raining a few moments after Lithuania scores their seventh goal. It starts as a light drizzle, but moments later it's bucketing down, and Minseok has no choice but to call a time out. They're all drenched as they circle around him, and one by one he performs a water repellant spell on their faces to help with visibility. 

"Don't look so down, guys," he says, but it's hard to follow his advice when he looks downright miserable himself. "It's not too late to turn the game around. Baekhyun, stop hovering so high off the ground. I saw the snitch hanging around the west end of the spectator stands earlier." Baekhyun nods once, pushing his sopping bangs out of his face. "Kyungsoo, that was a good hit earlier – but your game has been rough ever since. Step it up, we want to knock them off their brooms, remember?" 

Kyungsoo nods absently – he's more focused on looking around to try and find out where Chanyeol has gotten off to. Last he'd seen, Chanyeol had been sitting right by Minseok at the players bench. 

"Okay, get back on the field." The whistle blows and Kyungsoo has no choice but to remount his broom, shooting off into the sky with the other players. He sticks close to Baekhyun this time, since the other beater is off chasing a bludger that seems to have a grudge against Seulgi, and he does his best to focus on the game, squinting through the rain to try and catch sight of the other bludger. 

It feels like it's going on forever. The rain is hindering Lithuania's efforts, but England has only scored three goals against them in the meantime. Kyungsoo is so caught up in his frustration with the current outcome of the game that he's not prepared when a sudden deafening bang has the game screeching to a halt, all the players stopping in their movements to turn towards the source of the sound. 

Kyungsoo lowers himself to get a closer look at the audience, curious. There's a commotion going on in one of the stands, wizards running in every direction to escape from whatever had created such a noise. Like Chanyeol had instructed him in their little defense class after practice that one night, he reaches inside his robes to grip onto his wand, just in case, extracting it only once another bang echoes through the arena. 

Nothing could have prepared him for what comes next, though. He doesn't think he would have prevented it even if he could. It's Baekhyun, that appears in front of him – Baekhyun, with his wand drawn and his eyes glossy and unfocused. There's a flash of white light, and the blow hits Kyungsoo in the chest, knocking the wind right out of him and just like that, he falls out of the sky and slips right out of consciousness. 

-

He comes to again when he's being levitated off the field in a stretcher. 

The only thing he can really process right now is the pain; it's like there are a thousand daggers stabbing into his chest and stomach, and his head is throbbing as if his skull had split right down the middle. He's screaming without fully realizing it, twisting on the stretcher and curling in on himself. Thousands of bodies are closing in on him – he can hear their voices but he doesn’t know what they're saying. The cameras flashing around him are so bright, blinding him. He screws his eyes shut, tight, then he feels something press into his temple, and he's out again in an instant. 

The next time he wakes up he's back in St. Mungo's. It doesn't hurt nearly as much as before, but it has settled into a dull ache in the back of his head that has him groaning out as soon as he's capable of making noise. He blinks his eyes open, squinting up at the bright white light above his bed.

"Kyungsoo? You're awake?" It's Minseok's voice, he registers. He opens his mouth to reply, but it feels thick, and no sounds come out. "Shh, it's okay. It's fine, don't force yourself." 

He swallows thickly and nods, closing his eyes for a second, looking around once he opens them again. Minseok is there, standing over his bed, looking tired and haggard and incredibly worried. The curtain around his bed is drawn, and Chanyeol's standing right inside the opening. He's not looking at Kyungsoo, though, but staring at the ground instead. 

"Do you remember what happened?" Minseok asks carefully.

"Yeah..." Kyungsoo whispers, and then lifts a hand to pull on Minseok's sleeve. It's harder than usual for him to get a good grip, so he lets his hand drop back down to the mattress. "Baekhyun... it wasn't – he didn't..." 

"We know," Minseok says, then presses a hand against Kyungsoo's shoulder. "He's asleep in the next bed. He was under the Imperius curse. Don't worry, okay? He'll be fine." 

"And... the game?" 

"Ah..." His voice falters. "We had to forfeit, but it's fine. We still qualify for the cup in the end – our last win gave us a huge advantage on the scoreboard. You haven't lost your spot on the starting lineup as long as you still want to play." 

Kyungsoo nods again and then bites down on his bottom lip, turning his attention back to Chanyeol, who hasn't moved a single inch. Minseok leans in close, then mumbles into Kyungsoo's ear. 

"He caught him, you know? Almost got himself killed, too, in the chase. You owe him a huge thank you," Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and pushes weakly at Minseok's chest, and Minseok excuses himself with a tiny smirk, slipping through the gap in the curtain once Chanyeol steps out of the way for him. 

Kyungsoo's not entirely sure how much time passes in silence, but he does know that from the very start it's suffocating him. He carefully sits up in his bed, wincing at the ache in his ribs, wriggling back until he's sitting up against the headboard. Chanyeol comes closer then, but only to adjust his pillow to make it more comfortable for him. 

"Chanyeol," he says, and is pleasantly surprised to find that the words are coming easier to him now. "What happened?" 

"You fell," Chanyeol replies simply in a hoarse voice, not quite making eye contact. "You fell, and this time I couldn't save you. You had five broken ribs, and a fractured skull. They healed you while you were unconscious, but it'll hurt a little bit for a couple of days." 

"That's not what I mean." Kyungsoo furrows his brows. "Minseok said you caught him. Who was he? How did you do it?" 

"Do you remember the other beater from your old team? He was also being considered for the World Cup team at the same time as you, but you got in over him." 

"Oh..." Kyungsoo looks down at his hands, shoulders slumping. "I thought he was my friend." 

"He's an evil wizard, and he tried really hard to kill you." Chanyeol exhales heavily. "When I interviewed him after the arrest, he told me he had no other reason but jealousy." There's a long pause, and when Chanyeol speaks again, his voice is unsteady. "He's an awful person, Kyungsoo. Jealousy is not a good enough reason for any of this." 

"Chanyeol..." Kyungsoo looks up again, and reaches out to take hold of Chanyeol's hand. "You caught him. You made a good decision as an Auror this time, right? You didn't let him go." He's trying to be reassuring, but Chanyeol sucks in a breath and pulls his hand away. 

"A poor decision as a human being." He says, voice tense. "An awful decision as – someone who – " 

Kyungsoo takes hold of his hand again, giving it as tight of a squeeze as he's capable of like this. "I'm alive, Chanyeol. Because of you. Thank you." 

It takes a long time for Chanyeol to say anything after that. He doesn't let go of Kyungsoo's hand, though, so Kyungsoo doesn't let go either. It takes him a few moments to gain enough confidence, but once he does, he drags his thumb over Chanyeol's knuckles, then spreads his fingers out, only smiling once Chanyeol hesitantly fits his in between, holding on with a loose grip. 

"Does it hurt, Kyungsoo?" He asks in a small voice. "Tell me anything I can do to make it better." 

"It hurts," Kyungsoo hums, then let's go of Chanyeol's hand, only to scoot over in the bed to make more room. "You look tired, though." He pats the mattress. "Lay with me. You can sleep all you want, now." 

Chanyeol climbs into the bed without a single beat of hesitance, carefully maneuvering himself around Kyungsoo's form as he gets comfortable. Kyungsoo lays back again once Chanyeol is settled, turning to face him, offering a small smile when he catches wide eyes looking right back at him. "Hi," he says, and watches as Chanyeol turns over onto his side, then reaches out to press a warm palm against Kyungsoo's cheek. His gaze softens as he stares up into Chanyeol's face with a hopeful smile. "Stay?" 

There's a bit of a pause where Chanyeol looks back at him, and then he gives a small nod.

"Okay." 

Kyungsoo covers Chanyeol's hand with his, then lets his eyes fall shut, suddenly very aware of how heavy the exhaustion is settling down on him. He feels safe like this, and so, so comfortable – and the last thought he has before letting sleep take over him is that he'd like it if he could always fall asleep next to Chanyeol like this. 

-

Kyungsoo gets discharged a few days later. He feels good as new again as he walks out of the hospital lobby and into the sunlight, and he stretches his arms up, letting out a happy groan. 

Chanyeol, who had been walking a few steps behind him, slows to a stop next to him and copies the position, rocking back onto the heels of his feet and then laughing. "It was cuter when you did it," he says, and Kyungsoo crinkles up his nose, shoving at Chanyeol's side. 

"You ruined my moment," he grumbles, then turns to face his now ex-bodyguard, grinning up at him. "Well, I guess this is it, huh." He says, sighing dramatically. "You're finally free of your babysitting duties. You can go back to being a real Auror now." 

Chanyeol laughs again, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess so, huh. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, though." His expression settles to a fond little smile and Kyungsoo finds himself shifting closer, like he's been drawn to him. Chanyeol curls a hand around Kyungsoo's waist, drawing him in even more, and he hides his smile right into Chanyeol's shoulder, suddenly shy. 

It's been like this since they'd fallen asleep together; always so close, but never quite making it to where they both clearly want to be. Kyungsoo's not going to let this opportunity pass him by, though – now that the threat against his life is locked away in Azkaban for the foreseeable future, he has no need for protection anymore. Chanyeol has to go back to work, especially after taking the last three days off to stay with Kyungsoo in the hospital. 

"I'm going on a trip with Baekhyun for a few days," he says into Chanyeol's robes, then peeks up at him, bumping his chin against his chest. "I want to reassure him that I'll never hold what happened against him." Chanyeol nods, brushing fingers through Kyungsoo's bangs and leaning in a little closer. Kyungsoo feels his cheeks heat up and a lump start developing in his throat, but he swallows it down. It's now or never. "When I get back, can we meet? There's a muggle restaurant near Trafalgar Square that I really love, and... it would be nice if I could buy you dinner." 

"Are you asking me on a date, Kyungsoo?" Chanyeol asks, and he's so close now that Kyungsoo can count every single one of his eyelashes. "Or is this only to thank me?" 

"It's a date," comes the confident reply. He takes a deep breath, then stands up on his toes to close the distance between them. It's nothing but a quick press of their lips, but it makes heat spread through his veins like wildfire, and he's smiling so wide his face hurts when he pulls back. "But also to thank you." 

"Hmm," Chanyeol pretends to think about it, so Kyungsoo lifts a hand to hit his chest, but then he leaves it there. Chanyeol bends down to kiss him again – slow and sweet this time. Kyungsoo gets lost in it, curling his other hand around the back of Chanyeol's neck. When they break apart for air, Chanyeol presses their foreheads together, then lets out another soft laugh. "How could I say no to this face?"

He pinches Kyungsoo's cheek, and then Kyungsoo scrunches up his nose, which only makes Chanyeol kiss him one more time – a gentle peck to his forehead.

"I'd love to go on a date with you, Kyungsoo." 

-


End file.
